Wild Food Café

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Details

Users say
(10)

3 out of 5 stars

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Its airy first-floor location is just one of the draws of this little café overlooking Neal’s Yard. On a sunny day, light streams through the wall of windows on to big pine tables that happily accommodate large groups of friends who haven’t met yet. Food is prepared behind a horseshoe bar laden with huge bowls of fruit and bright vegetables. Service is genuinely friendly (open smiles, helpful suggestions) and the cooking is both creative and of a high quality. The short menu focuses on ‘raw’ – food that hasn’t lost any nutrients or flavour through cooking – but for those who prefer their food served above body temperature, there are warmer options such as ‘sunfood’ soup of the day with toasted sourdough. Vegans are well catered for too; sections of the menu are labelled ‘plant foods only’. A dish of the day of mixed meze was a riot of colour, texture and flavour, with standouts being fig, pomegranate and mint salad, and dolmades stuffed with cauliflower ‘rice’ and sun-dried tomato. Monmouth coffee and organic wines are available, along with cold-pressed organic juices such as ‘vibrant green’: full of green fruit and veg, with a lemon and ginger kick. More juices and smoothies – with names like ‘youthful’, ‘mighty’ and ‘flexible’ – can be found at the Wild Juicery bar next door.

I love this place. It's very informal (you share tables with whoever else is there) and you can get the food to take away. It's all raw/vegetarian (possibly vegan too) which is great for me as my diet is pretty restrictive. If anyone were to think that raw food is bland, they would be completely wrong - everything here is delicious and is all freshly-prepared in the open-view kitchen. The desserts, in particular, are brilliant

Definitely going back! I took a meat fiend friend of mine with me last week and he thoroghly enjoyed his leek & potato soup, mushrooms on 'toast' & the chocolate cheesecake foe dessert! I had the houmous with crisp bread which was very tasty - lots of garlic. I enjoyed my burger but not sure if I'd have it again. The chocolate cheesecake was heavenly!

Georgeous tasting raw food, beautifully presented. Staff were very friendly and enthusiastic about the menu (justifiably so). Only downside was that they ran through all their specials and the menu only to have run out of quite a few dishes when I requested them. Was happy with what I did eat though and I'm not so easily pleased.

I work in the area so I visited Wild Food Cafe quite a few times and I must admit their fresh attitude and innovate dishes full of nutrition won me over. Their specials of the day are absolutely delicious and filling - my favourite so far was Mexican. Apart from that, the guys do amazing raw desserts and hot chocolate. Occasionally the service a bit slow during the peak times, but you got to forgive it to the guys that work it all in such a tiny space and make everything on the order. If you talk to them they all very nice and friendly as well and will tell you amazing stories about how they make their food. Lovely fresh addition to Neal's Yard and Covent Garden. Love the independent, forward thinking vibe. Well done & all the best. Mel

I visited Wild Food Cafe tucked happily upstairs in the delightful ‘secret gem’ that is Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, with eager anticipation as I am very much a lover of all things natural food wise and I had heard positive reports of this new (currently) day time eatery. It was a cold Monday and I was taking my Mother for her birthday treat; she only likes good food too - so I had to choose carefully! We received a warm welcome and perused a super menu, which, I could happily say, looking at other customers choices; that I could have chosen anything!
What struck us was just how very friendly everyone was and there was a relaxed, positive atmosphere. All the food was very much being prepared to order and the work in progress clearly visible; which was fantastic. We both enjoyed juices from the unusual range. I chose a Crocodile Juice which contained such fantastical ingredients including plantains and leafy greens!
With difficulty from such a superb menu I chose ‘Living Falafel’ from the ‘Artisan Sandwiches’ choice. It had a cacophony of tastes and a perfect mixture of textures (dehydrated seed ‘bread’; so filling, yet light) that kept me very happy right through to the end! My Mother had a Wild Winter Salad. She considers herself a salad expert but I was happy to see that she enjoyed’ investigating’ it; even finding unusual delights that she had not come across before. So Birthday Mum was happy.
Wild Food is a cafe, as opposed to a more formal restaurant with separate tables, and its informal friendly atmosphere lends itself to meeting others. This gave me the chance to cast envious looks at the incredible Special of the day which was ‘Butternut Squash, massaged Kale in Avocado salsa, served with Coconut Quinoa which was presented most beautifully in a type of tier of orange and green!
All the Desserts appealed to me but my Mum opted to head straight for her Super Food Hot Chocolate as that is one of her most favourite things in the world. I had a spicy hot chocolate. It was absolutely delicious and because it was sweetened with coconut sugar it was not too sweet. I could have ordered a few more - Yum! And, given that my Mother has hot chocolate where ever she goes she could not stop complimenting how ‘not sickly sweet’ it was and how it was ‘just the right temperature’ and ‘really chocolatey’. And, of course, Super Foods do make you feel - Super!!So, another hit for birthday Mum, and one daughter; relieved!
Despite a brisk lunchtime trade, the manager Joel Gazdar still gave us some of his personal time and explained some of the processes etc used in the creation of his foods.
The whole experience was very positive and the food sublime.
I thoroughly recommend this special cafe to any one who wants quality, nutritious and above all, delicious food in a friendly atmospheric cafe.
I look forward to returning!
From Rebecca Rainbow, London.

What a disappointment; poor service and tasteless mush. Rarely have I eaten such poorly presented and lacking in flavour. Juices came after meal finished. Falafel was in burnt toast. Really not up to scratch. Avoid

WOW not only the best smoothies, i've ever had (and I've tried alot!) but the sandwiches and the sunfood noodles are the most sublime too, my mouth waters at writing it, definitely making this a regular! Cheers